Learning Control
by Glitter And Goth
Summary: Severus had no intention of picking up an apprentice - ever. But then Miss King came along. He has no choice but to teach the clumsy, anxious and obnoxious chit. One thing is for sure, this year is going to be a long one. SSxOC Rated for Language
1. The Apprentice

Of course … that was exactly Severus Snape's luck. Images of classroom explosions and clumsy mistakes flashed through his head. "I thought I got to choose whether or not I wanted an apprentice?" his voice was level, but Dumbledore could sense the annoyance and dread coming from the potions master in waves.

"In … normal circumstances, yes. But Miss King is a … special … case," Dumbledore smiled slightly.

"Special case? You know as well as I do why no potions master will accept her as an apprentice!" The memories from her days in his class flashed before his eyes. Of all the students … why King?

"She may not be the most graceful students, but she does have the passion for potions. Isn't that one of your main complaints about your students?" Dumbledore's blue eyes held mountains of amusement in them. Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Control …. That's what Miss King lacked. Shit. "Yes, Severus, Miss King needs some control and you seem to be the exact man who could teach her."

Severus almost choked, for a split second his barriers had been down. "Control is not easily taught." The arguments were losing their convictions.

"She'll be here tomorrow morning, Severus. Good day."

The potions master's mouth opened and closed. Vane protests formed at the tip of his tongue. He felt like a child again. Control, he chastised himself again. "Good Day, Albus." With that he made his leave.

If Eddy could have sunk into the floor she gladly would have. The only thing Professor Snape had told her was to sit down. She pulled the sleeves of her cloak down and gripped them for her life. Nails dug into her palms and sweat ran down her brow – she might as well have been a first year again, listening to his silky voice intimidate her nearly to tears. Nothing much had changed, though. Tears still threatened to come out of the sides of her eyes. The only difference was he didn't have to say anything this time. _100, 99, 98 …_ She vaguely remembered the technique her therapist had given her. The woman had been a complete failure, but some things did stick. _86, 85 …_ The breathing settled and her heart slowly stopped its attempt to break through her chest. Eddy vaguely wondered whether it was the counting or the nails … whatever it was, it worked.

Snape placed down his pen and looked her directly in the eye, "Miss King –"

"C-call me Eddy." The words were out of her mouth before she even realized it. Snape glared at her, presumably displeased at being interrupted. But he complied. "Fine, _Eddy_," Snape sneered at the nickname. Suddenly, Eddy preferred Miss King. "Dumbledore seems to insist that you are perfect for this position … I am … _skeptical._" Eddy's heart began racing again. "Potions isn't just putting a bunch of ingredients into a pot, King, its much, much more than that. It is, by far, one of the most powerful branches of magic studied here at Hogwarts. It can –"

Again, Eddy butted in, "Sir, I remember all too well your introductory speech. I-I doubt any of your students forgot it." A slight blush crossed her features and again she dug her nails into her palms. _40 … or was it 50 …_ Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I wasn't under the impression that _any_ of my lessons stuck with you, Édith." Eddy cringed at the full name even more than her last name.

"I'm – I'm here, aren't I?"

"Under duress, from my understanding." Way to pour salt into her open wounds. Eddy cringed again and her nails dug even deeper. The tears of anxiety poured brimmed over.

"Fuck you," she managed to rasp out, even if her throat felt like a desert, "Fuck you."

Snape's eyes flew open. "Language, Miss King," was all he managed to get out.

"What do you want?" She blinked back the tears, even wiping them with the back of her sleeve.

"To give you instructions." Snape kept a perfect composure, barely even blinking as Eddy turned to wipe more tears away.

"Then give them." Eddy refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of Snape. Her nails dug into her palms, forcing sanity even further. No tears. No more.

"You will report here every day after classes for two hours. Twice a week you step in on my class. You are not only an apprentice but an assistant. You will take over an occasional detention and grade papers for me. Dismissed." The instructions were said in one breath and Eddy had no intentions of hanging around.

Snape let himself be dumbfounded the moment the door slammed behind the King girl. He had done a lot of things in his past … a lot of terrible things. The girl was an innocent – his student. Édith had been stubborn to hold back the tears in her true Slytherin fashion, but … Guilt washed over him in waves. Never in his career had he made a student cry … at least not in front of him. God, this was going to be a long year.


	2. Dobby

**A/N: A little bit short, but I wanted to give a little more insight into Eddy's issues and families. I also wanted to give a little tribute to my favorite house elf :3 Enjoy. Review. Favorite. You know, everything that makes me happy.**

Eddy grimaced at her reflection the mirror. Why is it you always felt the need to look at yourself when you cry? Even at the best of times she didn't find herself attractive, but right now was just … it was something else. The light grey of her eyes almost blended in perfectly to the whites of her eyes, the thick red veins were by far the most prominent features. All of her mascara had run down her eyes, macabre patterns ended just above her cheek bones. On top of it all her eyes looked as though they were infected, swollen and red … Eddy ran a hand through her hair. The ponytail she had it in had been abandoned for the comfort of loose hair. Of course it had decided to fold in half, suspended awkwardly in mid air there was nothing she could do. "Well …" more tears ran down her face. There was no going to lunch this time. "D-dobby?" It was weird, talking to air, but she had seen many wizards do it before. "Dobby?" her voice was steadier this time.

There was a loud crack as the bug-eyed house elf apparated into her quarters. "Miss Eddy!" The pinkish gray elf threw his hands around Eddy's knees. "Dobby has missed Miss Eddy."

"Hi, Dobby," Eddy sniffed a little and patted the elf's head.

"Is Miss crying?" Dobby looked up and examined Eddy's face. Of course it was obvious, but the semi-tactful elf just nodded. "What's wrong?" Eddy rolled her eyes. She knew he'd ask … Dobby always needed to know why she was upset.

_Eddy could barely look up, she always felt awkward around the Malfoys, but her mother adored them. Apparently, Narcissa had been her pen pal in school. Figures. "Their son is close to your age, mon chouchou". Eddy almost snorted at the thought. He was eight …. She was fifteen. Eddy didn't know under what circumstances that was similar age … maybe in ten years it wouldn't matter. Either way the child wouldn't shut up about his broomstick. _

_Luc elbowed his sister in the side, "Maybe you can teach him a few things." Eddy rolled her eyes the child had shut up when Mrs. Malfoy had given him a look. _

"_May I be excused?" Eddy filled her mouth with as much sugar as she could. Her mom gave her the look. The "you're being inappropriate/rude/a brat so shut the fuck up now" look._

_Mrs. Malfoy smiled just as sweetly and fakely as Eddy had smiled, "Of course." Was that seriously what her sweet voice sounded like?_

_Malfoy Manor was grand in a way that only Hogwarts could rival. The walls were made of stone and rich tapestries lined the walls. There was a woven runner down the hall that muffled her steps. Everything was either ice cold or overly plush – there was no in between with the Malfoys. Finally, Eddy found the door that led outside. It was always their gardens that entranced her. They seemed to have stepped out of a fairytale. Topiaries in different shapes lined the white patio furniture. _

_For the first time tonight Eddy let herself begin to shake. The tears started to pour from her eyes. It was always the same. Awkward …. Silent …. She really needed to learn. "Stop it, Eddy," she chastised herself, "Stop being a wimp." Even alone in the fantastic gardens she bit back the tears. Once they start they don't stop._

_Breaths came in ragged, short gasps. "Come on, Eddy, you're better than this." _

"_Are you okay, Miss?" In her panic Eddy hadn't noticed the house elf. He was very well kept, much better than Rigby. _

"_Um, yes," Eddy rubbed the back of her head. Awkwardly, still fighting back the tears._

"_You can cry Miss, if you want. Dobby won't tell." His big blue eyes held no deceit and Eddy couldn't take it anymore. The first of the tears squeezed out from the corner of her eyes. _

"_Th-thank you, Dobby." _

"I just …" Eddy scratched the back of her head, "Snape's not the nicest man." Understatement of the century.

"You're here to work with Master Snape?" Dobby's eyes brightened. Of course he wouldn't comment on Snape's attitude. He may be a free elf, but something about his elfish nature prevented those types of comments, especially about staff.

"Um … yeah …" More tears leaked out at that thought. Snape … god, he hated her.

"What did Miss Eddy need?"

"Um … right …" she had almost forgotten, but her stomach was beginning an attempt to eat itself. "I – I need some food, I don't want you to go out of your way, Dobby … but, I just …" Dobby nodded silently.

"Of course, Miss," with that he popped away.

"I don't want them to see me like this." Eddy finished aloud to the silent room. "Welcome home, Eddy."

**A/N: Can someone tell me if I used "Mon Chouchou" right? I'm really good at French, but I never spoke of my teacher in endearing terms … normally it was more along the lines of "ca pute" and  
>"salope" ("that whore" and "bitch"). Yeah … I could fill novels with stories. Our relationship made Snape and Potter look like bosom buddies xD Well, she was the one who taught us how to say "I don't know and I don't care" in French. She also, inadvertently, taught us some rude gestures xD Anywho … yeah … Review. Fave. Alert. Concrit is appreciated.<strong>


	3. The Pink Thing

Pink. It was pink. Mother loving pink. It wasn't just any pink. Eddy could deal with "just any pink". It was putrid, puke, brownish, doily, grandmother pink.

Snape was black.

McGonagall was green.

Umbridge was pink.

Professor Dolores Umbridge had introduced herself that morning at breakfast with a "hem hem" and a bright pink bow. Snape spent most of the morning glaring at the new teacher for taking "his" job. McGonagall looked like she was going to stab Umbridge with her spoon every time she opened her mouth. "Does that woman ever shut up?" was her only comment through gritted teeth. Eddy barely heard her, though. She was still trying to get over the pink.

"Miss King, is it?" the pink woman approached Eddy at the end of breakfast.

"Yes, Professor?" Eddy almost choked on the fake artificial sugar in her voice.

"You're the daughter of that runaway auror, correct?" This time Eddy did choke.

"Excusez-moi?" all traces of sugar left from her voice.

"So, I am right?"the pink woman smiled like the cat that ate the canary. Didn't most teachers try and get along with the staff?

"He didn't abandon the aurors … he – he fell in love …" Eddy clenched her fists. _100, 99, don't hex the pink bitch, 98 … _the calming process worked to an extent.

"Hmm …" _80, 89 …_ Umbridge pretended to mull the though over for a minute, "the way I understand it, she kicked him out when he ran out of money?" One of Eddy's hands clenched, nails drawing blood on her palm. The other reached for her wand.

"We – we needed more money, so he decided t-to go back to work and ... and they accepted him back," Eddy's throat felt dry. Odette and Edward Kind never had the most normal relationship, but … "She didn't want him to leave …" Eddy's nails dug in deeper. _45, 44 …_

Umbridge laughed humorlessly, "Well, my dear, you really are as naïve as they say then." With that the pink thing turned on her heel and stalked away.

"What the hell is her problem?" Eddy muttered. Slowly but surely her nails released their grip. The damage to her palm was minimal, but it wasn't healthy. "Stupid fucking pink bitch, thinks she knows everything … the world isn't made of fucking pink … _Ca salope … putain de salopard … emallement auror mon conasse … putain chose rose … salope rose … je la deteste ! Nigh sah mere … pauvre naze, gros con …_" Eddies feet carried her mindlessly through the castle.

"Miss King?" Great. Just great. Already on edge, Eddy's senses went into hyper alert.

"Professor, I'm – I'm sorry, but I'm really … really _not_ in the mood."

"In '_the mood'_ or not, Miss King, you are late." If Eddy hadn't been so pissed she would have laughed at the slight innuendo. Eddy puffed her cheeks up with air and let it out. Snape had already turned around with a flurry of black robes and was stalking back down toward the dungeons.

What in the world had Severus done to this girl to make her shake like a Chihuahua around him? Édith King had always been a little nervous, but around others she tried to carry herself with the confidence and –not so much grace, but a great attempt– that her house entitled to her … now … no she could barely hold the spoon.

"Done, professor," Édith's voice dragged his attention from lesson plans. The potions were the exact color they should be, and he could here little fizzles and pops from the corked bottles. King had begun to busy herself with cleaning.

"You can start on some dreamless sleep potions, now." She shook even more at the sound of his voice. Severus was aware he was intimidating but this … this was just ridiculous.

**A/N: Um, so, another filler chapter, I'm sorry. My computer got infected with a virus, and I lost a lot of my work on my fanfics plots and characters. I have hard copies, so a lot of my time will be transferring those over. This is just to appease you. When Eddy curses after Umbridge leaves, this is the translation: "that bitch ... that fucking bitch ... runaway auror my ass ... fucking pink thing ... pink bitch ... I hate her! Fuck her mother ... piece of shit ... big fat idiot" If I got anything wrong, please tell me. My experience in cursing in French is limited only to attempts to piss of my teacher and articles online. If I spelled anything wrong in French, just get over it. I know I left out accents, I don't know how to make most of them on the computer (accent ague aside). Honestly, I can barely spell in English, let alone French. Read. Review. Fave. Alert. Come on, you know you want to :3**


	4. Leech Juice

**A/N: I want to thank everyone for all the reviews. It keeps these stories going, seriously. Sorry it took so long to update … shit happens :/ I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter, but I like it. Things aren't going to be moving super fast, but they're at least moving forward.**

Severus hated the first days of school. It was when students were at their worst. They were loudest. They were dumbest. And they were the most careless. The preparations for the first day were always the worst. At least he had Miss King to do the hard labor. Édith was perched perilously on a ladder in the student stores, making sure every ingredient was fresh and labeled correctly. Every time she would shift on the ladder, Snape couldn't help but cringe. The girl would surely come tumbling down at any minute, bringing half of the stores with her.

He stole a glance down at his schedule. Why, oh why did he have to have double potions with the first years … on the first damn day? Was Dumbledore trying to punish him? First the King girl, now this? Though, Severus did have to give the girl some credit, his office had remained thankfully in one piece so far.

A loud crash on the other side of the room gave way to his fears. He turned around to see Édith on the floor, several jars, broken and in tact, on the floor surrounding her.

"What did you do?"

"What did you do?" Eddy was hearing that a lot these days. Translation: How did you _fail_ this time?

"My – my foot … it – it slipped …" With a wave of Snape's wand the in tact jars were back on the shelf, the broken ones were already ruined. Eddy curled herself in the corner, as far away from Snape's accusatory glare. Because she meant to fall on her ass. Her hands curled, but then instantly retracted at the pain.

"How in the world …" the question died down in his throat. Eddy examined the injury on her palm. A large piece of glass stuck out from it. It didn't even hurt, only when she attempted to bend her hand. "You imbecilic twit." Small tears stung at her cheeks. You imbecilic twit … failure …

The piece of glass in her palm was had a greenish hue and dull lavender goo covered one side of it. Eddy made an attempt to pull it out. "_Stop it_," she jumped at Snape's growl, another burst of pain went through her palm.

"Stop what?" Eddy poked at the glass again. It still didn't hurt.

"Stop _fucking _with that thing!" He waved his wand and Eddy felt a pressure on her lower back, pushing her into a standing position. It definitely wasn't graceful, but it paled in comparison to her fall.

"And y-you tell at me for my language," Eddy started to laugh, but bit her tongue. What the hell was she thinking? Severus opened his mouth, most likely to take points from Slytherin for cheek. But, as if realizing it was useless, he shut it again.

"Sit on the desk," several potions and first aide supplies flew across the room, "What the hell happened?" Eddy scooted a little bit into a more secure spot on the desk.

"I-I told you," he was close. Really close. Whatever endorphins and adrenaline the fall had given her left. She began shaking. _100, 99 …_ "I slipped … I don't – don't know what happened."

"This is going to hurt," in one swift motion of his wand he yanked the piece of glass from her hand.

"FUCK!" Eddy yanked her hand away from Snape. "Shit …"

"Language, Miss King," there was a small smirk on his face.

"What the hell?" Blood poured freely from the wound now, not the bright red color that she was so used to, but a dark purplish color … sickly …

"I'm not done yet, Édith." He always spoke her name like some foul word. Not a dirty word, but more like "mudblood" or "halfbreed". _70, 69 …_ Snape seized her wrist firmly and grabbed another potion. "Do you know what Leech Juice is used in?"

"Um," Eddy did a double take, "Shrinking solution?"

"Do you know what happens to the human body if ingested as is?" His voice was soft, gentle. It sent shudders down Eddy's spine – shudders that Eddy liked even less than those of fear.

"It – it causes severe dehydration, and – and sickness…" he dabbed a potion soaked cotton ball along the wound.

"Yes, if left untreated, the consequences would be … _undesirable _..." Once satisfied that the wound was clean, he began siphoning the blood. Not into, but out of the wound.

"Was that what was on the glass?" Slowly the blood began to flow out of the wound in the normal bright red color she was used to.

"_Exactly_." Eddy bit her lip. The sensation of blood flowing through her veins quickly was … odd. It felt like a string was being pulled from the inside of her palm. The waves of nausea combined with the shudders of attraction and her normal nervousness … it was almost too much. "Lay down, if you must." She gratefully complied. Snape continued siphoning the blood from her wound long after it had returned to red. Eddy closed her eyes; waves of nausea were determined to make her lose something. Whether it be consciousness or her lunch, she doubted the nausea cared. The unnatural sensation stopped and was replaced by a pulling and stinging one. "Drink this," a small vial was shoved into her good hand when the stinging sensation stopped.

"What is it?" Eddy tried to stand up, but was met by Severus's hand.

"Something to help with the nausea." Eddy smiled and downed the potion in one gulp. It was faintly minty, but not in a good way. She closed her eyes. The potion was working quite quickly.

Severus looked at the girl as she drifted into sleep. It really wasn't that surprising, but it wasn't exactly convenient. They had work to do.

There wasn't much he could do about it now. But where the hell to put her? She couldn't stay passed out on the desk … could she?

Shaking his head, he levitated her to his quarters. He placed her down as gently as possible onto the small arm chair (no way in hell was the twit going to be on his bed). Édith stirred a bit before curling into a ball onto the chair. Leaving her to her not-so-well-earned nap, Severus went back to the stores to clean up the mess.

**A/N: Leech Juice is an ingredient I got from Harry Potter Wiki, I was looking for a common ingredient that didn't have to much information on it, all for the sake of fun. Reviews are always appreciated :3 **


End file.
